Flower-bed.



10.728.088 -PATENTED MAY12, 1903. J. L. DILLON. M FLOWER BLD.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 21, 1902.

No MODEL.

YHE NORWS PEYERS CO Ntra STATES KVATENT Patented May 12, 1903.

FFICE.

FLOWERTBED.

A SPECIFICATION forming` part of Letters Patent No. 728,088, dated May 12, 1903.

Application sied :une 21,1902. serial N0.11`2,655. ditmaal.)

To obli/.whom t may concern:

a citizen of the United States, residing at Bloomsburggfin the county of Columbia and State of Pennsylvania, have` invented new and useful Improvements in Flower-Beds, of which the following is a specification.

This" invention relates to a greenhouse or other flower-bed; and the object of the same is to provide a simple and effective device of this character whereby water or moisture may percolate or seep upwardly from the bottom toward the top thereof and thoroughly moisteu a layer of soil at the top without'the inconvenience and disadvantage arising from washing the soil away from plants located at the upper surface of the bed and also to encourage a stronger growth of plants by keeping an upper layer of soil in which they are rooted thoroughly permeated with water.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of` a flower-bed embodying' the features of the invention and showing the layers of soil and other material therein. Fig. 2 is atop plan view of the improved bed,

showing the layers of earth andother mate-l rial removed. Fig. 3` is a det-ail perspective View of one of the feeders or sheds. 4 i Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts in the several views. l

The numeral l designates an inclosure or casing for the improved bed, which has a suit# able depth and will be formed of material best adapted for the purpose. Disposed at regular intervals on the upper side of the bottom of the inclosure or casing 1 are a series of inverted-U-shaped water feeders er sheds 2, having a 4plurality of openings or outlets 3 in the loweredges thereof. The feeders or sheds 2 are held closely in contact with the bottom of the inclosure or casing and comprise two longitudinally-extending members and a central transversely-extending lnember, an inlet-pipe 4 rising from one of the latter above the top of the flower-bed and adapted to be suitably connected to a watersupply.

S of soil. 'little resistance in passing through the lower Over the feeders or sheds 2 and resting on the bottom of the inclosure or casing lisa Ylayer 5 of coarse coal-ashes, which completely covers the feeders or sheds 2 and has its upper surface at a distance above the highest points of said feeders or sheds. On the upper surface of the layer 5 of coarse coal-ashes a second layer 6 of finer coal-ashes is disposed and is of a less vertical extent than the layer 5. On top of the layer 6 a layer 8 of soil is arranged and extends completely through or flush with the upper edges of the sides and ends of the inclosure or casing. The depth of the layer 8 of soil will be regulated at will and in accordance with the size and strength of the plants disposed therein, as well as proportionate to the depth of the bed.

In the operation of the improved flower-bed the water is permitted to run through the pipe 4 and from the latter through the transverse member of the feeders or sheds and thence into the longitudinally-extending members of said feeders or sheds. The water passes out from the feeders or sheds at the bottom and percolates upwardly through the'- layer 5 .of coarse coal-ashes andvthen through the layer 6 of finer coal-ashes and finally into the layer The water will have comparatively layer 5;' but in-,view of the disposition of the feeders or sheds said layer will'become thoroughly saturated. The layer of finer coalashes or the lower layer will become saturated from the latter, but will obstruct a forceful iiow or percolation of water therethrough in view of its increased density'relatively to that of the lower layer, and from the intermediate layer 6 the top layer 8 will become easily and gradually moistened without being disturbed by a strong upilow of the water, and the plants in the saidtop layer will thus be moistened or properly'fed with water without displacing the roots of the same or weakening the support of the soil in relation thereto. After the layers have become thoroughly saturated the iow of water is cut off from the pipe 4, and in view of the lower layers 5 and 6 the layer 8 of soil on top thereof will be kept moist for a considerable length of time withoutrequ'iring frequent repetition of the moistening operation. l

IOO

The openings or outlets 3 of the feeders or sheds are of small diameter, and the Water is permitted to pass outwardly through said openings in ne streams into the lower layer 5, and the disadvantages arising from the outlet of heavy gushing streams are avoided. Other advantages will appear from time to time to those using the improved device, and though a rectangular-shaped flower-bed is shown it will be understood that other forms may be equally well employed Without departing from the principle ofthe invention.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new isl. A flower-bed in which plants are to be directly placed and comprising an inclosure open at the top and having water-feeders on the bottom thereof, a layer of coarse coalashes disposed directly over the bottom of the inclosure on the said feeders, a layer of fine coal-ashes on the layer of coarse coal-ashes,

and a top layer of soil on the fine coal-ashes whereby Water willbe caused to percolate evenly and thoroughly upwardly through the layers of ashes and graduallylxnoisten the layer of soil.

2. A flower-bed comprising an inclosure having inverted- U -shaped feeders transversely disposed at regular intervals on the bottom, said feeders having small openings in the opposite side edges thereof close to the bottom of the bed and provided with a supply-pipe extending upwardly through the bed, and a bottom layer of coarse coal-ashes, an intermediate layer 0f finer coal-ashes, and a top layer of soil.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOI-IN LLOYD DILLON.

Witnesses:

J. C. RUTTER, Jr., M. J. BUTTER. 

